‘Seinfeld’ Star Apologizes for Gay Sport Comment

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‘Seinfeld’ Star Apologizes for Gay Sport Comment

By Tomika Anderson, Special to CNN

(CNN) — Former “Seinfeld” star Jason Alexander got on the wrong side of some of his fans when he made a wisecrack about cricket being a “gay” sport, and he’s since apologized.

The actor was speaking with Craig Ferguson on CBS’ “The Late Late Show” Friday when the topic came up, and Alexander said cricket was, to him, “a bit gay” because “There’s a lot of people wearing white. People wearing helmets for no discernible reason…Everybody breaks for tea in the middle.”

And then, “You know how I know it’s really kind of a gay game? It’s the pitch,” the actor went on. “It’s the weirdest … It’s not like a manly baseball pitch; it’s a queer British gay pitch.”

By Sunday he’d realized his error, and to calm the rough media seas that erupted after his commentary, the 52-year-old actor tweeted a “message of amends.”

He explained that he’d used the joke previously when hosting a show in Australia years prior, and at first didn’t understand why it was now being seen as offensive. But, after reflecting on the gag with some of his gay friends, he said he realized where he went wrong.

“I should know better,” he tweeted. “My daily life is filled with gay men and women, both socially and professionally. I am profoundly aware of the challenges these friends of mine face and I have openly advocated on their behalf.”

“So, I can only apologize and I do,” Alexander added. “In comedy, timing is everything. And when a group of people are still fighting so hard for understanding, acceptance, dignity and essential rights — the time for some kinds of laughs has not yet come. I hope my realization brings some comfort.”